JIMMY Calderwood today revealed he’s ready to lean on his friends in the English Premiership to land the next Sone Aluko.
The Dons boss had hoped to lure the Birmingham winger back to Pittodrie on loan but he’s now joined Blackpool for a month.
Calderwood is keen to add another wide man with a real cutting edge to his squad and is in the market for a starlet in the Aluko mould.
“It’s a blow that Sone has chosen to join Blackpool, ideally I’d love to get someone in like him,†said Calderwood.
“I’m lucky to have lots of contacts in England and I’m hoping the Premiership managers I know will do me a few favours.
“But that’s going to be hard to do because there aren’t too many lads in England who have Sone’s quality.
“There are wide midfield players out there we could easily get but not ones like Sone who can go past opponents for fun.
“I don’t really know anyone else in his mould with a similar touch and pace but that’s the type of player I’m after.â€
Calderwood still has two places left to fill in his senior squad and would love to land a double deal to lift the Pittodrie gloom following the opening day defeat to Inverness Caley.
But one player he does not reckon he will sign is Chelsea’s Jack Cork who will be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge on a temporary basis.
He added: “Jack is more of a central defensive player and he has enough options down south so I wouldn’t imagine he would want to come to Scotland.
“But I still need to top up the squad as we’re short on numbers.
“Out of the 22 players I have, there are very young lads like Michael Paton, Sammy Stewart, Peter Pawlett and Stuart Smith.
“No disrespect to them but that means we only have a first team pool of 18 and that’s not enough to go through a full season.â€
Meanwhile, the Dons have been drawn away to Ayr United in the second round of the CIS League Cup.
Jimmy Calderwood’s men travel to face the Second Division promotion chasers at Somerset Park on Wednesday, August 27.
Second round draw: St Mirren v Dumbarton, Livingston v St Johnstone, Dundee v Partick Thistle, Ayr United v Aberdeen, Hibernian v Morton, Arbroath v Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Hamilton v Clyde, Cowdenbeath v Dundee United, Hearts v Airdrie, Raith Rovers v Falkirk, Dunfermline v Alloa, Brechin City v Kilmarnock.